by James Johnson

Created on: April 12, 2010

Craft ideas using newspaper?  There are a lot depending on how much or how little you want to do and the skill level of the person doing the crafts.  Is this a young person that needs to start learning motor skills and is wanting to have fun or someone older with a lot of time on their hands, looking for something to do between sex, television, and eating?  Skills and interest make a difference!

With young children, you need lots of imagination, paint and a place that can get messy.  You may also need some water and flour.  You can start by shredding the newspaper.  You shred it and then put it in water with a bit of flour and then start layering it to make a thick, flat layer.  This layer can be shaped and cut to make a mask!  It will only need a little paint and the eyes cut out.  It can be clowns, animals or even ghosts and goblins.  Masks are a lot of fun for kids.

Still fun and also messy is to try to make a newspaper pinata.  You make the center hollow by blowing up a balloon and then wrapping the paper in flour-glue around it.  It will take several layers and you may have to re-inflate the balloon as the damp newspaper cause the air to contract.  Once you have the desired shape and thickness, simply remove the balloon and then put strips over the hole.  You can make several and paste together for a variety of shapes.  Then paint as desired. Be sure to not make them to thick or the children will have problems bashing them open to get the candy.

Other craft ideas using newspaper include fold to make a variety of things.  almost anybody can make simple hats and paper boats, some of the hats are boats!  You can also fold a newspaper and actually make a paper bag, better for the environment that plastic bags.  A really creative paper folder will try origami, and those shapes are virtually endless.  There are birds, fish, dinosaurs and dragons!

These are some of the more readily accessible craft ideas using newspaper.  They range from the simple to the more complex.  How well they will look will be determined by how well you are with crafts, and your imagination!

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